France’s Bollore says mega projects influenced Sh2bn Nairobi hub choice
Ongoing construction of the Port Reitz- Moi Airport- Changamwe road in Mombasa. PHOTO | FILE
French firm, Bollore, has said the ongoing infrastructure developments influenced its decision to build a Sh2 billion logistics hub in Kenya.
Country manager Jean-Pascal Naud said the investments — that include standard gauge railway and Lamu port — portend a brighter future for the global firm.
Bollore, which has an established transport and warehousing business in Kenya, says the big-ticket infrastructure developments have the potential of attracting a number of multinationals into Kenya.
“It is easy for them (multinationals) to source for raw materials from any part of the world and bring to their manufacturing plant in Kenya where we shall be at hand to transport finished products to all parts of Africa as we have a presence in 17 countries,” he said.
Mr Naud spoke at Bollore’s Nairobi headquarters where he took journalists through a tour of the firm’s logistics hub.
He said Kenya’s roads, ports and railway projects would help improve the business environment by enabling companies move raw materials and their finished products with ease.
He added that one of the reasons the firm selected Nairobi as its African hub is to help local farmers export produce to foreign markets.
“We offer Kenyan goods and finished products a global link to any market through our one-stop-shop service as we have merged all our global operations into one chain to enable companies enjoy many services by talking to one company, Bollore,” he said.
“The port development in Mombasa is very good as it will expand services offered via Kenya and our work is to enhance clearance of goods and onward transmission to customers across East Africa, DRC, South Sudan and to Ethiopia.”
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